With his usual storytelling flair and unparalleled research, Tom Fleming offers a compelling, intimate look at the founders—George Washington, Ben Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison—and the women who played essential roles in their lives.

From hot-tempered Mary Ball Washington to promiscuous Rachel Lavien Hamilton, the founding fathers’ mothers powerfully shaped their sons’ visions of domestic life. But lovers and wives played more critical roles as friends and often partners in fame. We learn of the youthful Washington’s tortured love for the coquettish Sarah Fairfax, wife of his close friend; of Franklin’s two “wives,” one in London and one in Philadelphia; of Adams’ long absences, which required a lonely, deeply unhappy Abigail to keep home and family together for years on end; of Hamilton’s adulterous betrayal of his wife and their reconciliation; and how the brilliant Madison was jilted by a flirtatious fifteen-year-old and went on to marry the effervescent Dolley, who helped make this shy man into a popular president. Jefferson’s controversial relationship to Sally Hemings is also examined, with a different vision of where his heart lay.

Fleming nimbly takes us through a great deal of early American history, as the founding fathers strove to reconcile their private and public lives, often beset by a media every bit as gossip-seeking and inflammatory as ours today. He offers a powerful look at the challenges women faced in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. While often brilliant and articulate, the wives of the founding fathers all struggled with the distractions and dangers of frequent childbearing and searing anxiety about infant mortality. All the more remarkable, then, that these women loomed so large in the lives of their husbands—and, in some cases, their country.

Quotes & Awards

“Thomas Fleming is one of our most interesting scholars of the Revolutionary period, and in his insightful latest work he does not disappoint. Focusing on the wives and women of the Founding Fathers, The Intimate Lives of the Founding Fathers is thoroughly fresh, frequently fun, at times touching, and always fascinating. A significant achievement.”

Jay Winik, New York Times bestselling author of The Great Upheaval and April 1865

“[A] solid, sometimes titillating account…Showing the more human and sometimes unlikeable sides of our founders, the author writes good history, debunking more scandal than he confirms.”

Publishers Weekly

“[A] gossipy but thoroughly enjoyable examination of the personal––and particularly marital––relationships of our early national icons…The overall effect is to reveal them as fallible humans without detracting from their well-deserved status.”

Booklist

“Tom Fleming is a rare combination—a fine historian and a fine writer. His assessment of George Washington’s relationships with Sally Fairfax and Martha Custis is right on target.”

Peter R. Henriques, author of Realistic Visionary: A Portrait of George Washington

“With his ample gifts as a novelist and his brilliant historical reach, the esteemed Thomas Fleming never disappoints...A remarkable achievement—and hard to put down.”

“JFK had Marilyn Monroe, and Bill Clinton had Monica, but that doesn’t
mean twentieth-century presidents had all the fun. ‘Knowing and understanding
the women in their lives adds pathos and depth to the public dimensions
of the founding fathers’ political journeys,’ Thomas Fleming writes in
this well-researched peek into the boudoirs of America's political
architects.”

Washington Post

Listener Opinions

by Erin | 2/17/2014

" Martha Washington was a kindly grandma. John Adams was vain and Abigail, a prude. Ben Franklin was a dirty old man and Alexander Hamilton was a horrible husband. Thomas Jefferson may not have made sweet sweet love to Sally and Dolly Madison was a diva. "

by Linda | 2/9/2014

" I like to read about the personal lives of famous people. Especially those who lived a long time ago. It is interesting to see how they lived and how the women in their lives were responsible for a lot of their public opinions. "

by Dsfraelich1 | 1/25/2014

" Very Interesting and enlightening about the private lives of our founding fathers. "

by Grumpus | 1/20/2014

" Great summary of six of the founding fathers for those who may not want the minutia of their entire lives but still containing bits of new information that the history buff may not have known (like me). I haven't done much reading on James Madison so the part of the book devoted to him was particularly interesting. "

" Very interesting and thought provoking. I also thought that the DNA evidence about Thomas Jefferson was certain but this books shows that there is still must discussion on the subject. "

Deborah | 12/31/2013

" I enjoyed reading this book. The book was an eye opening treat into the joys and heartbreaks of our founding fathers ( and mothers). "

Tracey | 12/30/2013

" I did not read all of the chapters. I focused on Thomas Jefferson for right now. I found the book well written. I plan to go back to this book later to read more. "

Jill | 12/25/2013

" Enjoyed learning more about the women in the lives of our founding fathers. A fast read. "

Amy | 12/12/2013

" Pretty interesting. I liked getting a different view of our founding fathers, and they were quite contradictory to what I originally thought. The book's description of Dolley Madison intrigued me, and I may look for a biography just about her. "

Rosemary | 12/6/2013

" Interesting stories of the Founders. "

Kate | 10/28/2013

" Rare is the work of nonfiction is that makes the reader say OM NOM NOM. But this is one of those books. "

Pamela | 8/10/2013

" Very good,4.3. The presentation of family life and struggles of leaders such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison broadens understanding. "

Linda | 7/30/2012

" Not sure if it is quite a 4 star, but it is an easy and interesting read of the domestic lives of Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton against the backdrop of the political times. "

Angela Montgomery | 6/23/2012

" Excellent overview. I'm not even American, and I found this book fascinating. A nice unbiased summary of the Sally Hemings/Jefferson debate. "

Fred Gemeinhardt | 5/22/2012

" An excellent book! Should be required reading for high school students. "

Lisa | 3/19/2012

" Learned so much about early American politics and the women who made it happen. Have a renewed appreciation for Dolly Madison. "

Lee Kaufman | 2/7/2012

" If you are a history nerd..this one's for you. "

Maria | 11/15/2011

" I really enjoyed this! It was incredibly interesting and very readable. I was a little sad to finish it! This is the first book I've read by Thomas Fleming. I may try another because I liked his style and his well-researched and seemingly balanced way of presenting history. "

Mary | 5/26/2011

" Learned lots of new details, not all of them flattering which is a nice change from most books of this sort. "

Rebecca | 5/11/2011

" I can't say enough about this book. I think it is insightful, interesting, and offers a different viewpoint than regular founding father's bios. I also love that it is like six bio's in one. I will surley re-read this book in 10 years. "

Betsy | 4/25/2011

" I really loved all the personal details in this book, especially about Thomas Jefferson. "

Lee | 4/19/2011

" If you are a history nerd..this one's for you.
"

Linda | 1/27/2011

" Not sure if it is quite a 4 star, but it is an easy and interesting read of the domestic lives of Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton against the backdrop of the political times.
"

Deborah | 1/23/2011

" Most of this information is available in other books. But Fleming gives the information a unique perspective. If you are interested in the revolutionary figures, this is worth reading.
"

Amy | 1/22/2011

" Pretty interesting. I liked getting a different view of our founding fathers, and they were quite contradictory to what I originally thought. The book's description of Dolley Madison intrigued me, and I may look for a biography just about her.
"

Linda | 1/3/2011

" I like to read about the personal lives of famous people. Especially those who lived a long time ago. It is interesting to see how they lived and how the women in their lives were responsible for a lot of their public opinions.
"

Carrie | 12/15/2010

" Apparently, the only rake amongst them was Alexander Hamiltion, which I find hard to believe. How does Ben Franklin come off as faithful, if distant, husband?
Also the chapter on Madison isn't so much about him, but more about Dolley and her Martha Stewart like abilities.
"

Dsfraelich1 | 12/11/2010

" Very Interesting and enlightening about the private lives of our founding fathers.
"

Kate | 5/27/2010

" Rare is the work of nonfiction is that makes the reader say OM NOM NOM. But this is one of those books.
"

Ann Marie | 5/15/2010

" Gave good insight into the women behind the Founding Fathers
"

Rebecca | 5/4/2010

" I can't say enough about this book. I think it is insightful, interesting, and offers a different viewpoint than regular founding father's bios. I also love that it is like six bio's in one. I will surley re-read this book in 10 years.
"

Other Titles by Thomas Fleming:

About the Author

Thomas Flemingis the author of more than fifty books of historical fiction and
nonfiction, including the New York Times bestseller
The Officers’ Wives. A distinguished
historian, he has served as president of the Society of American Historians and
the PEN American Center, spent ten years as chairman of the New York American
Revolution Round Table, and is the senior scholar at the American Revolution
Center at Valley Forge. He has received honors and awards from the Colonial
Dames of America, National Catholic Press Association, New Jersey Historical
Commission, and American Association for State and Local History. His awards
include Boston University’s Burack Award for Lifetime Achievement in American
History, the Union League Club of New York’s Abraham Lincoln Award for
Outstanding Contributions to American Literature, and the 2012 Gomez Mill House
Pioneer Award. In his honor, the American Revolution Round Table of
Philadelphia has named its annual book prize the Thomas Fleming Award. A
frequent guest on PBS, A&E, and the History Channel, he has contributed
articles to American Heritage, MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History,
and other magazines. He lives in New York.

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